From Saturday 26 October to Sunday 3 November, the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust (SBT) invites visitors to the Shakespeare Family Homes in Stratford-upon-Avon to enjoy a spooky array of thrilling interactive events and activities inspired by the remarkable women who influenced William Shakespeare.
From spooktacular performances at Shakespeare's Birthplace and hands-on activities in the picturesque grounds of Anne Hathaway's Cottage, to autumnal walks with the new multi-site family-friendly trail, there’s something for visitors of all ages to enjoy.
‘‘Our visitors are in for a treat with our spooky series of events and activities this autumn.
‘’This year’s new programme, the Women Who Made Shakespeare, has proven popular with visitors of all ages. We’ve been able to explore new stories with our visitors who are interested in learning more about Shakespeare’s life, work, and times through the lens of the women who helped shape him."
Commented Rachael North, Director of Museum and Public Programmes at the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust.
Bringing History to Life
At William Shakespeare’s childhood home, witness the more scary and spooky scenes from the Stratford-born writer’s much-loved plays, performed by the talented actors from Events From History. From Macbeth to Hamlet, daily during the half term in the Birthplace garden the team will be performing spine-chilling scenes, focusing on the iconic female characters.
Visitors can also get up close with history with Object Handling, available daily at Shakespeare’s Birthplace, Shakespeare’s New Place and Anne Hathaway’s Cottage.
At each property, the SBT’s friendly team will showcase a selection of objects, inviting visitors to discover new and fascinating aspects of life in Shakespeare’s time.
Getting Crafty with Frighteningly-Fun Activities
At Shakespeare’s New Place, the site of the last home that Shakespeare lived in, on Sunday 27 October, the team will be welcoming artist Polly Merrydew into the beautiful gardens for an Abstract Art workshop. Guided by the artist, visitors can try their hand at creating abstract imagery that they can then take home with them.
Sundays at New Place offers an opportunity for both visitors and residents, with those living in a CV37 postcode having the chance to visit Shakespeare’s New Place as many times as they wish during the season for free, to learn a new craft, create art and meet the artist.
Something spooky is stirring on Wednesday 30 October at Anne Hathaway’s Cottage with a special Halloween-inspired Nurture in Nature activity with the Wild Earth Movement team.
Ideal for younger visitors and those keen to learn a new craft, attendees get the chance to get crafty with ghoulish activities, including mixing a witch’s potion using natural materials found from the garden and making a magical wand to keep the spirits at bay.
Adventure Awaits with Explorer Backpacks
Every day during the half term, young visitors are invited to embark on a journey of discovery as they explore the scenic grounds of two of the Shakespeare family homes.
At Anne Hathaway’s Cottage, children can pick up a Nature Explorer Backpack, equipped with essentials like butterfly nets, tweezers, bug jars and animal footprints, which they can use to explore the abundance of biodiversity thriving at the place that young Anne once called home.
Meanwhile, at Shakespeare’s New Place, budding artists can unleash their creativity with a Creative Explorer Backpack as they discover the place where William Shakespeare is said to have written many of his most well-known plays. Included in the backpacks are chalkboards, viewing frames and stacking blocks.
Walking in the Footsteps of the Women Who Made Shakespeare
New for this year is the Shakespeare Family Trail where younger visitors and their families can explore the grounds of each property, learning new stories about the women who once lived there.
Inspired by the famous ‘Seven Ages’ speech from Shakespeare’s As You Like It, the trail focuses on the different stages of life from a female perspective. From Mary Arden to Judith Shakespeare, the trail explores the lived experience of women during the Tudor period, in particular those who had an impact on Shakespeare and were crucial members of the community in an engaging and interactive way.
Available throughout the year, visitors can collect a free, self-led trail booklet upon arrival at each home. The booklet contains historical facts and interactive activities such as a wordsearch and checklists for children to complete as they walk around the locations.
Shakespeare’s New Place After Hours
Finally, for those who want to visit Shakespeare’s New Place once it closes to the public, organisers invite visitors to its special Halloween themed After Hours talk with Dr Darren Freebury-Jones, lecturer at the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust.
Join Darren on Thursday 31 October as he delves into the literary, theological, and theatrical context lying behind some of Shakespeare's most magical, and terrifying, creations.
Following the insightful discussion, the New Place Shop will be open for book signings and browsing.
Final Chance to See the Hidden Voices Exhibition this Year
October half term marks the final opportunity to view the Hidden Voices exhibition at Shakespeare’s New Place before it closes on Sunday 3 November. Using objects from the SBT’s world-class collection, the insightful exhibition focuses on the five women who lived and worked in New Place during Shakespeare’s lifetime.
Whilst at Shakespeare’s New Place, visitors can also browse the gift shop, where a special micro-engraving by Birmingham-based artist Graham Short, depicting a portrait of William Shakespeare, is on display and can only be seen through the eye of a needle.
‘’We want everyone to experience the Shakespeare story at a great price, so we encourage those visiting to purchase the Story ticket. This is an excellent way for audiences to visit as many times as they wish over a 12-month period during the season and enjoy the diverse and fun programme of events throughout the year.’’
Continued Rachael.
The SBT’s autumn events start on Saturday 26 October and run until Sunday 3 November. For more information about the events and details on how to book, please visit https://www.shakespeare.org.uk/visit/whats-on/october-half-term-2024/